Razor blade sharpener



May l, 1934. .1. J. LING RAZOR BLADE SHARPENER Filed June 2l, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May l, 1934. Jl jl UNG 1,957,278

RAZOR BLADE SHARPENER Filed June 2l, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @from/Er 40 holder in an elevated position.

Patented May 1934 F Fi C 8 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in razor blade Sharpeners, and the main object is to provide a simple, eiiicient and convenient device for sharpening and honing the blades of safety razors.

Another object is to provide a Sharpener including means for readily turning the blade after one side is honed to present the other side in proper relation to the honing element, this action being carried out by simple manipulation oi l0 a conveniently located control knob and without touching the blade or removing it from the sharpener.

Another object is to provide a sharpener in which the sharpening or honing element takes the form of a roll or cylinder of abrasive material mounted on a manually operated crank shaft and arranged. to be adjusted to operate upon the razor blade at the proper angle, the said abrasive cylinder being additionally arranged to be rev moved and replaced with another cylinder of glass or leather for finishing work, if desired.

A further object is to provide a Sharpener including a case, a manually rotatable turntable, a razor blade holder pivotally connected to the a5-turntable, an inclined and rounded reversing ening roll mounted in the case adjacent the razor blade holder to engage a razor blade therein, and a vertically adjustable yoke carrying the said roller.I

With they foregoing and other objects in view, 35. the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the Sharpener. Figure 2 is a side view showing the razor blade Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section. Figure 4 is a horizontal cross section along the line 4 4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the sharpening roll structure alone.

' Figure 6 is a perspective view of the razor blade holder alone.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a modified form of .50. razor blade holder.

Referring now with more particularity to the drawings, my invention comprises a case or housing 11 of substantially rectangular form made up of the ends 12 and 13, sides 14 and l5 and top 16, the last having a laterally extended roll slot 17 cut adjacent the end i2. A roll supporting yoke 18 is provided within the case 11 and includes the spaced parallel legs 19 pivotally mounted by their ends at 20 to the inner faces oi the case sides 14 and 15 at substantially a medial point thereof and extended below the roll slot 17 toward the end 12 of the case where they are joined by a bight 21 twisted axially through an arc of ninety degrees so as to present a horizontally extended control portion 22 disposed alongside and within said end 12, as shown. At laterally aligned points and substantially in line with the center of the roll slot 17, the yoke legs 19 have upwardly opening bearing notches 23 and one side, as 14, has a registering and relatively larger clearance notch 2/1 also opening upwardly through the top of said side. Thesenotches are designed to take and rotatably hold the shaft 25 of the sharpening or honingrroll 26 which is thus disposed in the case 11 down through the slot 17. This shaft 25 extends yat each end from the roll 26 and one end 2'? abuts against the case side 15 while the other 28 eX- tends freely out through the notch 24 in the other side 14 and is bent into the form of a crank 29 having a handle 30 by which said roll may be manually rotated. An adjusting screw 31 is journaled down through the center of the overhanging lip 32 of the top 16 adjacent the case end 12, Aand is locked against axial displace-s ment and movement therein by its head 33 and a fixed collar 34, the threaded shank of the screw being threaded through a tapped hole 35 in the horizontally disposed center portion 22 of the yoke bight 21. By turning this screw 3l, it will be evident that the yoke 18 may be raised or lowered at its free end and the sharpening roll 26 supported in the notches 23 may be correspondingly elevated or lowered so as to vary its position relative to the case top 16 for a purpose to be described. The notch 24 in the case side 14 permits the necessary freedom of movement of the shaft end 28 to permit this adjustment of the yoke and roll without removing the roll from the Sharpener.

A blade holder turntable designated generally at 36 is mounted centrally of the top 16 and adjacent the end 13 and comprises a circular plate 37 having a rigidly depended shaft 38 journaled down through an aperture 39 in the said top and provided beneath the top with a rigidly affixed operating gear 40. An. operating knob 41 has a shaft 42 journaled inwardly through a centrally located aperture 43 and inwardly extended bearing sleeve 44 in the case end 13 and a drive gear 45 is rigidly affixed to the inner end of said shaft 42 and placed in mesh with the operating gear 40, whereby the turntable plate 37 may be rotated by turning said knob. Cibviously, the knob 41 may be placed as well on either side of the case if so desired. Spaced hinge loops or eyes 46 are provided in axial alignment on the upper surface of the turntable plate 37 and are adapted to hingedly and pivotally receive and hold a hinge pin 47 to which a blade holder 49 is secured. This blade holder is made up of flat spring material bent back on itself and rolled into circular form at its bight to form the hinge pin 47, as shown in Figure 3, or, as an alternative construction, simply welded at 48 to a short length of solid rod to form the pin, as shown in Figure 6. At its free end, the blade holder 49 has the jaws or lips 50 adapted to normally spring together and so grip the safety razor blade A placed or slipped endwise therebetween and rearwardly of said lips the holder is outwardly bulged or ilared at 52 to receive the stiffening rib B conventionally provided on single edged blades, such as shown. To adapt the blade holder for use not alone with this form of blade, but with the flat thin double edged blade (Figure 7) these lips 50 and bulge 52 may be formed nearer the pin 47 and adapters 53 be provided, each formed of ilat spring material bent back on itself and having an outwardly bulged bight 54 adapted to simulate the form of blade A and iit in the holder in identically the same manner as that blade. At its outer end, one adapter may have the pins 55 to engage the double edge blade C, another may have jaws and a bulge similar to these elements 50 and 52 hereinbefore described and others suitably arranged to fit any form of blade as will be understood.

However formed, the blade holder serves to support and carry the razor blade A or C) and in normal operative position the holder lies down on the case top` 16 and is directed toward the sharpening roll 26, whereby the exposed cutting edge of the blade rests substantially centrally on the periphery of said roller, as shown. The blade may then be sharpened by rotating the roll in the direction indicated in Figure 1, the proper pressure on the blade being obtained by a finger' of the free hand placed on the holder. By raising or lowering the sharpening roll as hereinafter described, the angularity of the cut or grind on the blade edge may be varied as will be understood, as well wear in the roll be compensated for.

After one face or edge of the blade has been sharpened as described, it is then of course necessary to turn the blade over and present the heretofore upper and unsharpened side to the roll. To accomplish this action easily, automatically and without bringing the hand into contact with the blade, I provide a reversing element or means now described. An upstanding heel-shaped cam plate, rim or n 57 is soldered, brazed or otherwise secured to the case top 16 around and adjacent the turntable 36 and comprises the relatively high rounded back 58 and the spaced downwardly sloping and outwardly flared and inclined sides 58 and 60 extending toward and terminating at the margin of the roll slot 17. At its upper central portion, the back 58 is bent inwardly to present a wide or shallow V-shaped portion 61. Now to reverse the face of the blade presented to the roll 26 and designating the already sharpened and underneath face as D and the upper unsharpened face as E, the operation is as follows: the knob 41 is turned in either direction, as for instance, so as to rotate the turntable plate 37 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 8 and the blade holder 49 and its attached blade A is then carried around over and moved up the side 59 of the rim 57, the said holder at the same time swinging upward on its hinge pin 47 in the loops 46. This motion is continued until the blade holder stands substantially vertical against the back 58 of the reversing rim, as shown in Figure 8, and further until this holder has been turned about half way around on its axis, bringing its unsharpened edge E facing the side 59 as shown in Figure 9, at which point one side of the holder engages the shallow V-shaped portion 61 of the back and tips or throws the holder over in the direction of the arrow in Figure 9, so that it lies on the side 59 with the unsharpened edge E underneath. Then by reversing the direction of rotation of the knob 41 and plate 37 as indicated by the arrow in Figure l0, the holder'49 may be slipped back down the side 59 until the blade again rests on the roll 26 with its heretofore unsharpened edge E in contact therewith ready for sharpening. It will thus be evident that the function of the rim or cam plate 57 is simply to raise the blade holder, hold it upright while it is turned and then guide it back down to operating position, this action being conveniently carried out simply by rotating the knob 41. Obviously, the blade holder may be turned in either direction up either side 59 or 60 and the same result be accomplished. The outwardly iiaring or inclining condition of these sides 59 and allows the blade holder to move up the sides easily and without obstruction.

The sharpening roll 26 may be of any suitable form but preferably includes a cylinder 62 either of abrasive material or of metal covered by emery paper 62a. as here shown, and arranged to slip at one end over a rigidly mounted tapered plug 63 on the shaft 25. At its other end the cylinder is engaged by a removable plug 64 threaded at 65 on the shaft and including a tapered portion 66 entering the cylinder and an exposed knurled rim 67 to facilitate its removal. By this construction the cylinder 62 may be readily removed from the shaft and replaced with another (not shown) of glass, leather or other sharpening or honing material as will be understood, the notched bearings in the roll support'- ing yoke 18 allowing the roll to be readily removed froni the case while making this change.

It is thought that further details of the use and advantages of my invention are apparent without further description, and while I have herein set forth a certain preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that I may vary from the same in lnmor structural details, so as best to construct a practical device for the purpose intended, not departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a razor blade ISharpener, a sharpening roll, a turntable mounted adjacent the sharpening roll, a razor blade holder pivotally mounted.

2. In a razor blade sharpener, a case, a sharpening roll adjustably supported in the case, a turntable mounted on the case at one side of the sharpening roll, a razor blade holder pivotally mounted at one end on the turntable, and means for elevating and reversing the said razor blade holder.

3. In a razor blade Sharpener, a case, an adjustable yoke in the case, a sharpening roll removably mounted in the yoke, a manually rotatable turntable mounted on the case alongside the roll, a razor blade holder pivotally mounted at one end to the turntable normally lying on the case to present the underedge of a razor blade therein to the roll for sharpening, and means for elevating and rotating the said razor blade holder to reverse the edge of the blade therein presented to the sharpening roll.

4. In a razor blade Sharpener, a case having a slot in its top, a yoke mounted in the case and including legs pivotally attached to the case and extended across and below the said slot, the said legs having aligned notches, a sharpening roll, a crank shaft for the roll resting in the said notches, the said yoke also including a bight, an adjusting screw mounted through the top of the case and threaded in the bight, a turntable rotatably mounted on the case alongside the slot therein, a razor blade holder pivotally mounted at one end flat on the turntable, and razor blade yreceiving means at the free end of the holder.

5. In a razor blade Sharpener, a case having a slot in its top, a yoke mounted in the case and including legs pivotally attached to the case and extended across and below the said slot, the said legs having aligned notches, a sharpening roll, a crank shaft for the roll resting in the said notches, the said yoke also including a bight, an

adjusting screw mounted through the top of the case and threaded in the bight, a turntable rotatably mounted on the case alongside the slot therein, a razor blade holder pivotally mounted at one end ilat on the turntable, razor blade receiving means at the free end of the holder, and a reversing rim mounted on the case adjacent the turntable and including a rounded back portion and flaring downwardly sloping sides terminating adjacent the sharpening roll.

6. In a razor blade Sharpener, a case, a sharpening roll mounted in the case, a turntable including a circular plate journaled on the case alongside the roll, a razor blade holder pivotally attached to the circular turntable plate, and an upstanding sloping rim partially surrounding the turntable.

'7. In a razor blade Sharpener, a case, a sharpening roll mounted in the case, a turntable including a circular plate journaled on the case alongside the roll, a razor blade holder pivotally attached to the circular turntable plate,an upstanding sloping rim partially surrounding the turntable, and including a high rounded back pressed inward into a wide V-shaped central portion at its upper edge, and outwardly flaring downwardly sloping sides extended toward and terminating adjacent the said sharpening roll.

8. In a razor blade holding and receivingmechanism, a turntable, a blade holder pivotally mounted. on the turntable, and a reversing rim mounted adjacent and partially surrounding the turntable, the said rim including an upstanding vertical back portion bent inward mediallyrto provide a shallow V-shaped portion, and spaced outwardly flaring and downwardly sloping'sides.

JACOB J. LING. 

